A first for New York

Long Beach says it plans to become the first city in the state to recognize 9/11 as an official holiday, with a paid day off for municipal workers.

Announced by a survivor

City Council Vice President Chris Fiumara, who escaped one of the Twin Towers before they fell, made the announcement Friday at the city's annual memorial ceremony.

“I'm honored to announce in front of all of you in Long Beach today that we are going to be the first municipality in the state of New York to make 9/11 a holiday”

Patriot Day is not a holiday

Sept. 11 is recognized nationally as Patriot Day, a National Day of Remembrance. It carries no official holiday status at the state or federal level.

Other towns got there first

A handful of municipalities around the country already give public workers the day off, including Monmouth County, New Jersey, which has done it since 2023.

Amityville tried and backed off

The Long Island village gave employees 9/11 off in 2017, then reversed within the year. A cap on paid holidays forced workers to pick between 9/11 and Veterans Day, and Veterans Day won.

Contracts and schools stay open

City Manager Daniel Creighton says every union contract has to be reworked first. Schools report to an independent Board of Education, so students would still be in class.

“The Council is very adamant that they want this done, now it's [about] the nuances of it, the union contracts”